Queensland’s new Environment Minister says he is reviewing a study of toxic dust levels in the Townsville CBD, in the state’s north, to decide whether or not the Townsville Port should act.

The Macquarie University study found elevated levels of toxins like nickel and lead. It found the dust was made up of the same chemicals that are exported through the Townsville Port. Continue reading…

Forensic pathologists have spent another night gathering evidence at a house in Biddeston, west of Brisbane, where three people were found dead on Monday night.

The bodies of Derek Sharpley, 52, his daughter Kris-Deann Sharpley, 27, and her seven-year-old son Jackson were found by a relative who also lived at the house in the township, 25 kilometres west of Toowoomba. Continue reading…

(World Scientific 27 February 2015) With a group of like-minded scientists, editors Asit K Pattanaik and Michael Whitt have compiled a timely publication entitled ‘Biology and Pathogenesis of Rhabdo- and Filoviruses’ discussing the most recent findings on processes and current status of development of vaccines and antivirals to mitigate the diseases caused by viruses like Ebola and Rabies.

(American Chemical Society 25 February 2015) Oats are often touted for boosting heart health, but scientists warn that the grain and its products might need closer monitoring for potential mold contamination. They report in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that some oat-based breakfast cereals in the US contain a mold-related toxin called ochratoxin A that’s been linked to kidney cancer in animal studies. The findings could have implications for consumer health.

(University of Washington Health Sciences/UW Medicine 2 March 2015) Drawing inspiration from veterinary medicine, researchers at the University of Washington have helped developed a new prospective approach to diagnosing tuberculosis — easy-to-obtain oral swab samples, greatly improving on standard diagnostics.